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Great Britain
Great Britain is a European country with a developed magical community. History The most important event in British wizarding history was the introduction of the International Statute of Secrecy in 1689, which drove the magical community into hiding. This led to resentment towards Muggles from certain quarters of the community, provoking the rise of pure-blood supremacists such as Gellert Grindelwald and Lord Voldemort. The First and Second Wizarding Wars had a particularly devastating effect on the magical community, but Harry Potter's 1998 defeat of Lord Voldemort ushered in a period of peace and political reform. Geography The only all-wizarding village in Great Britain is Hogsmeade, located near Hogwarts in Scotland. Other villages exist where wizards live alongside Muggles, such as Ottery St. Catchpole and Godric's Hollow. However, like the Muggle community, the centre of British wizarding society is in London, which contains important locations such as the Ministry of Magic headquarters, Diagon Alley, Knockturn Alley, St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries and Platform Nine and Three-Quarters. Government Britain's magical community is governed by the Ministry of Magic, founded in 1707 following the institution of the International Statute of Secrecy, which it is dedicated to uphold. Prior to its creation, the main governing body was the Wizards' Council. It is presided over by the Minister for Magic, an elected official who drives the policies and overall direction of the Ministry. The current Minister is Kingsley Shacklebolt, who has been in the role since 1998. The Ministry is composed of seven main departments, each of which perform unique roles in the governance of the nation. These are as follows: the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, the Department of International Magical Cooperation, the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, the Department of Magical Transportation, the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes, the Department of Magical Games and Sports and the Department of Mysteries. The Ministry is also responsible for funding Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and as such, has been known to interfere in educational matters. Education British witches and wizards attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Established in the 10th century, it is one of eleven internationally recognised wizarding schools. Healthcare British witches and wizards receive healthcare from St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, located in London. Economy The currency of the British magical community consists of Galleons, Sickles and Knuts. There are twenty-nine Knuts to a Sickle, and seventeen Sickles to a Galleon. The exchange rate between wizarding and Muggle currencies is roughly five Muggle pounds to a Galleon. The only wizarding bank in Britain is Gringotts, located in Diagon Alley and controlled by goblins. Culture Music Britain has produced a number of well-known wizarding musicians. The most prominent of these include Celestina Warbeck, who has enjoyed success throughout the 20th century and early 21st century, and the Weird Sisters, who were particularly popular in the 1990s. Media The only major wizarding newspaper in Britain is the Daily Prophet, which is read by the majority of the magical community. A number of smaller publications also exist, such as The Quibbler, and the magazine Witch Weekly. Most wizarding households also listen to the Wizarding Wireless Network. Although there was an effort by the British Wizarding Broadcasting Corporation in the 1980s to create a television channel, this proved unsuccessful. Sport By far the most popular sport in wizarding Britain is Quidditch. The first recorded instance of Quidditch was by British witch Gertie Keddle in her home of Queerditch Marsh, and the sport owes much of its development to British players. There are thirteen established professional Quidditch teams in Britain, all of which belong to the British and Irish Quidditch League and compete annually for the League Cup. The oldest of these, Puddlemere United, dates back to the 12th century. There are also English, Scottish and Welsh national teams, which participate in international tournaments such as the Quidditch World Cup, albeit with limited success in recent years. All British Quidditch players and teams are regulated by the Department of Magical Games and Sports. Category:Countries